Everything Could Change
by houseofme
Summary: He didn't even knew her name. Tradition, his mother told him once. But he was supposed to meet her by the princess 27th birthday. Which, coincidentally, was twenty-three days after his own. Arranged marriage/Monarchy AU, Leo Fitz as the king, Jemma Simmons as the princess.


My gift for **kalaandwolfgang** in the fitzsimmons network exchange 'A Whole New World - More Than 5k'. My prompt was either Starcrossed or Monarchy au, since I have yet to watch Starcrossed, sadly, I decided to write the second prompt, and I truly hope you enjoy.

 **Disclamer: If I owned Agents of Shield, fitzsimmons would be married by now. So anything you reconize don't belong to me.**

 _Sorry for any mistakes._

* * *

 **Part One: The King Leopold Fitz**

* * *

Leopold Fitz was a lucky man, or so people always thought of him as it. He was a king after all. _That wasn't his idea, though, he would be happy in being a prince forever. But of course, that couldn't happen._

Being an orphan wasn't luck for him, having to rule a country by age twenty, also not so lucky. But, now, by age twenty-six, he had passed his grief stage, and had decided to foccus on his country, his kingdom, his people. He had to stop being immature, being a kid, and start thinking like a king. He had to rule his kingdom like his mother and father wanted him to, like they prepared him to.

If that took him out of his love for engeneering and science, then so be it.

He was always keen to science, it was his passion, he had the best teachers he could get, his mother made sure he was instructed so he could make better choices as a king. And that's how his love for the engeneering started, taking thigs apart, building them back together, make them better. _But of course, he couldn't do that forever._

He had started on his preparations to become a king very early, earlier than usual, due to his father sickness, he died when he was a child, only four years old, and since that age, he was no longer just the Prince who could become a king Leo Fitz, he was the future King Leo Fitz, and his mother would pass the kingdom to him when he reached his twenty-first bithday.

Sadly, she died before that, and by age of twenty, only two months after her death, his conoration was made. It was a simple conoration, there wasn't a huge party, not like his first guard, Mack wanted, not like he always thought he wanted. When the time come, he decided to simply get a small conoration, nothing too fancy or with a huge ball, and become the king. The first three years were though, he had to make choices for others, and that, if he must admit, was scary enough. After that, he got used ot it, and his kingdom actually started to get better, people started comparing him to his father. He couldn't say it was true, his father would always be the best king he's seen, but if he was a tiny bit like him, he could say he was doing a good job.

Of course, being the king had it's privileges, he could do as he pleased. Except for love, of course, no, his parents had already solved that bit. He was already promissed to a princess in a far land. He didn't even knew her name. Tradition, his mother told him once. But he was supposed to meet her by the princess 27th birthday. _Which, coincidentally, was twenty-three days after his own._

That didn't bothered him before, having to marry an stranger, his mother married his father without knowing him, later fell in love with him, and she always told him it was 'love at first sight' when she saw him talking to her father, not that he belived in it, he was a scientist for God's sake. But he wanted to love his wife, to love her the same way he remembered his father loved his mother, but if he must admit, he wished he knew at least her name before his mariage.

But in two months, he would know his future wife. He already heard of her kingdom, a small little place, called Providence, the legend said, as once he heard, that the kingdom's name came from the goodness that was there, old kings would help travelers and tourist, help them settle and live happily. He always thought that if his future wife was a little bit like the story he heard about her kingdom, that he would already like her.

His marriage decisions were made thinking logically, by his parents. He could, now that he was a king send a letter deciding not to marry the princess, that would go against his family choices but make him decide his own fate, but something inside of him wanted to get to at least know the princess, to make the decision after meeting her, not by just what he heard or didn't heard, but by what she was. By how she trully was, not just by what she looked, by what they would feel.

If he was lucky enough, he would have a few weeks before the marriage to get to know her, of course, he heard wonderfull things about her, he heard all about how she seemed a lovely person, how generous she was, and how she was a bit like him, as his friends from other kingdom's said.

But that would have to wait. He needed to think about his country first, about what would logically make them better, stronger. If marrying a girl he never met would do that. So be it. If that would save her kingdom too, it would be good deal, help her country and his own.

* * *

But between his duties as the king and his science experiments, _that were slowly taking less and less of time_ , he had no time to think about his marriage, or how his bride was.

His life was good for him, wasn't the most exciting one, even being a king, of course nothing would be better for him than to just do his science experiments. Or have a better control of his own life, choose his own bride, not have to keep his science a secret from his people, from most his friends.

But on a sunny day after a stormy night, everything would change. His mother always said that the sun made everything better, that after a stormy night, the sun would come, and the life would get better. And she was right, cause after that very stormy night, everything started to change, at least for him.

* * *

 **Part Two: The Princess Jemma Simmons**

* * *

 _Princess Jemma was proud of herself. After all, not every princess would manage to run away to a foreign country in one night, while pretending to her parents, the King and Queen of Providence, that she was going to meet with her friend, Princess Skye._

Her life was good, she had great parents, they loved her, she loved them, but something was off to her life. Her choices. She couldn't choose her own husband. She couldn't choose because of an old tradition, and a agreement, made twenty-seven years before. Because of that she wouldn't know not even the name of her future husband. All she knew was that he lived in a far kingdom, called Scotland, and that he was already a king. And that was it.

Of course Skye told her that he loved science, like her, and that she belived they would be a perfect match, but not even she was going to tell her his name. So she had to do something about it herself.

She exceled at preparations, it came with being a princess, ' _Be prepared for everything'_ her grandmother said once. So she had made three steps to get what she wanted. _And she would get what she wanted._

She thought the 'Step One: Lie To Parents' would be the easy one. Of course, it wasn't completly easy, but they wouldn't really let her go if she told them the truth. However, she was a terrible liar. She couldn't lie to anyone, but she had to, if it meant deciding her own fate, deciding what was the best and right thing for her life, she would do it.

* * *

"Mother, I would like to, uh, go to Skye's kingdom, you know, Lai Shi?" Jemma asked trying her best not to sutter.

"And why?" Her mother, Queen Marie, asked.

"Well, I figure that once I'm twenty-seven I'll be married, and I don't know if my husband would like to travel there with me, so I would like to uh, get to know it, there."

"Oh, and are you sure that's all there is, Jemma?" Her mother asked suspiciously.

"Yes, yes, mother, that's all. What other thing there would be?" Jemma asked, hoping her mother wouldn't figure how nervous she was.

"Wanting to meet your husband before the time, maybe?" Queen Marie said to her daugther, she knew how it was, marrying someone you never met was something most people couldn't do.

"And why would I do that? I don't even know his name." The young princess faked a smile.

"And you will not know before the time comes." Her mother said. "But if you only wish to go to Lai Shi, then I suppose I could talk to your father about it. Princess Skye will be here for the next couple days. You can go visit there with her."

"Thank you, mother." Jemma said with a smile as her mother left her room.

 _Step One: Complete. 'Step Two: Convince Skye.' was on the go. Hopefully would be just as successfull._

* * *

"Skye, you know it's ridiculous, I can't even know his name." Jemma said. "I can't marry someone I never met."

"As much as I hate to say, it's the rules, and trust me I hate to say this, and I hate that too. I don't even know my future husband's name."

"But your marriage isn't in a few months, you don't spend the night thinking if he's a nice person or not."

"He is nice, great guy, even." Skye said to her friend, "you will like him."

"Then let me know for myself." Jemma said "Ask your guards to drop me there, please." Jemma said, almost begging, knowing Skye would love the little adventure.

"Ugh, fine. But that's only because I think you will like him, and this whole 'not meeting before the twenty-seventh birthday' is super boring, and if you can change it maybe I can too."

"Thank you so much." Jemma said with a smile.

"But how will you do it?" Skye asked, she wanted to help her firend, truly wanted, but running away like that? she knew that even Fitz had some sense to take her back, _it was the rules after all._

"I don't know, maybe disguise myself, pretend to be someone else."

"Be a maid." Skye said like a something lit up in her mind.

"What?"

"Be a maid, that way you can see how he's like most of the time, and if he's, what I doubt he is, an idiot to the castle staff, you will know he's an idiot for sure, and decide to not marry. But as he's not and idiot or mean, you will see how he is like and probably like him, like I'm sure you will."

"You're a genious, Skye." Jemma said to the girl in front of her.

"I know, I know. Just don't tel anyone it was my idea."

"Yes, I know I'll be in touble if they found out. But don't you worry, I will say I ran away from you and you didn't knew a thing."

"Good. Now, please, be carefull."

"I will." Jemma smiled.

"And try not ot act so, princesses like."

"How so?"

"So polite, cute, 'I-know-it-all' self, be a little not so princess."

 _Great, Step Two was complete, now all that wad left was Step Three: Go To Scotland._

It woulnd't be so easy, but she had to do it. Scotland was between Providence and Lai Shi, so all she had to do was get out of the carriage, but how would she make the guards be quiet about it?

* * *

A few days passed and Jemma was ready to put her plan in action. She would hop off the carriage at night, and Skye would pretend she was feeling ill so the guards wouldn't notice anything until they arrived, she just hoped Skye would find a way for them to don't tell anyone.

The low lights area would make it easy for her to just walk away, but the storm that was forming would make difficult to walk in the rain.

But she would find a way to do it, to decide her own fate? _She would do anything._

* * *

 **Part Three: The Scotland Kingdom**

* * *

Scotland was prettier than she thought it'd be, Skye said it was always chilly, and with the storm she could say it definetly was, but still, was a nice weather for her, and a pretty view.

After the carriage left, she decided to change her clohes, she was after all dressedas a princess, not a maid, she put on a long blue skirt and a white button shirt along with an apron, that she had taken from one of her maids, and tied her hair in to a bun, luckly she had found a empty house to dress herself and shield form the storm.

* * *

Getting in the castle was easy if you dress as a maid, everyone assumed you are a maid, she would have to talk to the king when she revealed herself, it was dangerous, she was there for good, but someone might not be.

"Excuse me, I'm new here, I come to work, who should I speak to?" Jemma spoke to a woman, dressed almost the same as her, she realised then that the maids didn't dress very differently from her kingdom.

"With me." The blond woman said. "I'm Barbara, everyone calls me Bobbi, I'm the maids chief. And you are?"

"Jemma." She smiled.

"And you're here to work?"

"Yes, I am." Jemma said. "If it's possible, of course."

"Sure, we always need more staff." Bobbi said looking at a list on the wall. "We actually need someone to clean the king's study. I usually do that, but I have few things to solve for myself too and we have to preparate the kings ball, it's his birthday in exactly three weeks from now, so this place will be a mess."

"Is it?" Jemma said, so his birthday was twenty-three days before hers, just like Skye told her. And if she could clean his study, she would know a lot about him. "What's the kings name, by the way?"

When the older woman looked at her with a pluzzed face, she realised that she was supposed to know the king's name. "I'm from too far away, news there aren't the best."

"Leopold Fitz, he rathers Fitz." The woman laughed. "I guess you're really from far away."

"I lived close to the frontier with Providence." Jemma said asthe older woman showed her the pallace, it was pretty, there were paintings everywhere, one with a pretty kid with golden hair and blue eyes caught her attention.

"That's really far. Must have been quite of a ride with last night's storm." Bobbi said as they stopped in front of a door.

"Yes it was."

"So, this is the room, look, do you know anything about science, chemichals and stuff like that?"

"A bit, yes."

"Good, he uses this room more of like a laboratory." At that, Jemma eyes lit up, if he had a laboratory, she could still keep her experiments. "You can get started dusting the shelves, I'll come here in a few, to help you out, tell her where to put everything, then I can show you the rest of the pallace, and where you will be staying."

"Great, thank you, Barbara"

"Call me Bobbi, please."

"Okay, Bobbi." Jemma said with a smile, at least Barba- no, Bobbi- seemed nice.

"If you need anything, come to the kitchen."

After Bobbi left, Jemma got inside the room and looked at the kings lab, it was a little room, full of shelves and books and machines, she didn't even had to ask now to know his field, engeneering, and by the look of his machines she could tell he was good at it.

The room wasn't as messy as she thought it'd be, but she started cleaninhg right away, dusting the shelves and cleaning a few books. There was a little ladder she used to get to the higher shelves, she was about to clean a book when the door colided to the ladder and she started to fall.

"Bobbi, you didn't had to clean to-" The man said as she fell on him, especifically in his arms. "Oh, you're not Bobbi."

"No, I'm the new maid, Jemma." She said as the man put her in the floor. "Sorry, I fell on you."

"I'm almost sure that was my fault, after all I opened the door." The man smiled at her as he held his hand. "I'm Fitz."

"Y-you're the king." Jemma said, she bowed to him, her future husband, who would say he was so handsome? eyes blue like the ocean, hair of gold, and a smile so bright as she has never seen, definetly the little kid in the painting.

"Oh, hello your magesty." Bobbi said as she walked inside the room. "I see you met the new maid."

"Just did."

"I was about to teach her how to clean your study."

"I can do that." The king said turning to Bobbi, "That way she can know where everything needs to be."

"Of course, your magesty, if you say so." Bobbi said with a small smile.

"Oh, and I belive your husband was looking for you." the king smiled to the maid in chief.

"Of course he is." Bobbi rambled to herself while leaving.

"Her husband is one of the guards, Lance Hunter. A good man." Leo said while taking the ladder from the wall, "Now, we should begin, I actually wouldn't clean today, but since you're new, I think you should learn from me where everything should be, Bobbi puts everything in the wrong order, just don't tell her I told you that."

"Oh, I won't." Jemma smiled, the king seemed like a nice person so far, but she couldn't say she was convinced yet.

"Where you're from, Jemma?"

"A small village, near to Providence."

"Really?" Fitz was surprised, if she was from there she could at least tell him the name of the princess. "Do you by any chance know the name of the- uh, never mind." He couldn't do it, break the tradition, as foolish as it was, he wouldn't do that. His mother thaught him to wait for the right time to everything, knowing his future wife's name included."

"The name of what, your magesty?"

"Nothing too important." Fitz shook his head, "Let's just get finished with the cleaning."

"Of course, where do you need me ot put the dendrotoxin vial?"

"Right next to the bottle of-" Fitz stopped, she knew what it was, the vial didn't had a name on it, she knew by just looking at it? "You know what is it?"

"Yes, I know a few bits, more of biology and chemestry than engeneering, but yes."

"That's very intresting." Fitz smiled, maybe she could help him with latest project, not that would be inpolite, or would it? "I'm working on something to put in the archers arrows, to knock out the enemy, but I can't get the dendrotoxin right, I don't know how to use it."

"Oh, for how long do you need them to be out?" Jemma was intrested, it seeed like a really great idea, and could definetly be used, the enemies wouldn't die, could give inforation later, and that would could save innocents lifes in case they were harmed in the crossfire.

"A few hours, two at least."

Before they even knew what was happening they were already working together, Jemma only hoped that wouldn't get her in trouble later.

* * *

 **Part Four: Falling For Her**

* * *

 _They were friends, just that._ It wasn't like he loved every minute he spend with her as his lab assistant, more of a partner if he was going to say it, she knew after all, more that he about the way to use the toxins.

Lance said it once, in his birthday party, how his eyes lit up again while talking about his experiments, something that according to his friend 'you haven't done a lot, mate'. It was true, somehow in these weeks since Jemma arrived at the castle as a maid and started to clean his lab, his love for the science started to get back.

Since Bobbi was worried preparing other things in the castle, like his upcomming wedding to the princess of Providence, she selected Jemma to clean Fitz's study, and in a way, help him around.

He had known a bit about her everyday, she loved the biology part of things, and was really surprised that he had an old book in bology and chemestry. But apart from her love to science, he didn't knew much. She was from a far village, didn't talked about her family, or how her life was before. He had asked Bobbi to find out more about her but still, nothing more than what she told him. But even with the little secrets about herself, he seemed to be drawn to her, like a line pulling him closer to her, if his mother was alive, she would say they were soulmates. Which was foolish, soulmates didn't exist, especially in his arranged marriage world.

But he couldn't deny that he was starting to feel something more than partnership or friendship towards the maid. So that's why he decided to stay far from her, at least before he met his future wife, before he decided what would be best for him, and for his country.

* * *

Jemma didn't knew why he was ignoring her, well, ignoring wasn't the best word for it, he was staying far from her, he didn't talked to her, didn't say 'Hello', or 'Good morning' as he passed her in the halls, well, maybe he was ignoring her.

She started to wonder if he found her secret, if he knew who she was and was plotting how to call her parents so they could take her.

But how could he know? No one knew her there, and unless any of them had even gone to Providence, they wouldn't know who she was. She barely talked to other people, only Bobbi, Bobbi's husband Lance, the King, and ocasionally one of the guards, Mack. And none of them knew.

She wondered if she should tell him, end her little lie, so he could meet her _real_ Jemma Simmons, the princess, not just the science lover, after all she did got to know him, he was a great person, a very loving and gentle king, she heard so any good things about him and now that she met him she knew they were all true.

But if she knew telling him was the right thing to do, why did she felt that pain in her heart whenever she thought about what he would say after? Why she felt so scared he would completly turn on her and start to hate her? Why did she felt sick only to think he wouldn't be her friend anymore?

She decided that it would be better to talk to Bobbi first, she was after all, a long time friend of Fitz's and took care of most things in the castle.

"Bobbi, could I talk to you for a bit?" She called the blonde woman as she walked inside one of the castle rooms.

"Sure, I've finished cleaning, come here." She said as she patted the seat next to hers. "What do you want to talk about? Not leaving us now, are you?"

"No, no, no." Jemma says. "I actually wanted to ask you if you know why the king is not talking to me, did I do something wrong?"

"Uh, I don't think so, he's marrying in a few weeks, the thought must have sunk in him now, he was always very laid off about that, said he would only make the final decision after he met the princess and all that, but he must have realised it'd be for the best, for both Scotland and Providence, even if he was marrying an stranger."

"Do you think is that?" Jemma asked, so he wasn't sure he would even marry her? That somehow made Jemma wish he was sure about the wedding. About marrying her.

"Yes, he's been off with everyone." Bobbi said. "Now, excuse me, but I need to clean his room. You've cleaned his study, right?" With a nod from Jemma she stood up and walked fro the room. "Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing about you."

 _Oh, if she only knew._

* * *

"Leopold Fitz!" Bobbi said as she saw the young King reading in his room. "What did you do to make Jemma think you wouldn't want to talk to her anymore?"

"I, uh, what?" Fitz said getting up from his bed.

"She came to me earlier and said that you haven't been talking to her, I said it was probably because of your wedding, but honestly I'm not sure."

"I don't know why." Fitz confessed. "I just feel strange around her, I feel like I couldn't be without her. But I can't feel this things for her."

"Is it because she's a maid?"

"Of course not!" Fitz almost yelled. "it's because I'm going to marry someone I don't even know. But I don't know what to do. Should I marry the princess save not only Scotland but also Providence from the potential financial issues, or marry Jemma?"

"I truly don't know, Fitz." Bobbi said sitting on the king's bed and patting the seat next to her. Ever since she could remember, she was one of Fitz's best friend, took care of him when his mother died, remembered him what to do, but honestly, she didn't knew what he should do.

"I wish my mom was still here. She would have known what to do."

"That's true, she would probably know." Bobbi said remembering the kind Queen Sophie, always knowing what to do to make the people smile, making everything get better.

"She would probably tell me to follow my heart."

"She would be right to." Bobbi smiled, remembering the Queen's words to her many years ago, telling her to follow her heart and stay with the young guard, that was now her husband. "You should tell her, if you want to marry her. Jemma. She likes you, I can see on her eyes, she might even not know it, but she does."

"You think?"

"Yes. So if your final choice is to stay with her, tell her as soon as you can. Don't make my mistake and wait around."

"But you and Lance are alrght now."

"After how many years since I first realised I like him?"

"About seven, since my mum died."

"Yes, seven years since your mother's advice, and now we're togeher and will ha-." Bobbi stopped, _she shouldn't say that now_. "Tell her as soon as you make the decision."

"I will. Thank you, Bobbi." Fitz said as his friend as leaving the room. "Uh, what where you saying before?"

"You're welcomed, your magesty, now leave, I have a room to clean, and nothing too important."

* * *

Jemma kept thinking about what she spoke with Bobbi, but one thing kept stuck in her mind.

Why she was so afraid he didn't liked her, why was she so scared he would find out and decided not to marry her, why did she felt butterflies whenever she spoke to him, why did she couldn't wait every day to see his smile, his eyes, to hear his voice. _Oh, no. She was in love with him, wasn't she?_

But she had lied to him, she just wanted to meet him, but she fell in love with him. Now she had to tell him, she had to. Both things, that she lied, and that she wanted to marry him, that is, if he would still have her, after all her lies.

But she had to tell him, it was the right thing to do, wasn't it?

How could she? Just go to him and say _'Hi, I know you think I'm just your maid, but actually I'm your future bride, you know, the princess you were promissed to marry as a baby.'_ She couldn't just say that.

But she had to at least say something, anything. So that's why she found him in the throne's room. She, of course, would want to talk in a more private way, not in a place where they had several guards outsite, but at least they were alone.

"Your magesty, I wanted to speak with you, please."

"Uh, sure, I wanted to talk to you as well, but you, uh, go first."

"I'm not exactly who you think I -" She started but heard a voice she thought she would never hear in Scotland. Her mother's.

* * *

 **Part Five: Revelations**

* * *

"Jemma Elizabeth!" Her mother's voice scared Jemma as she saw her mother walk inside the room with two guards. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, your magesty, she just walked in." Mack said.

Jemma turned to Fitz, to see his confused face, "I can explain."

"I saw your face before in a photo. You're t-" Fitz said pointing to the older woman in from of him. "That's Marie Simmons, the queen of Provi-" Fitz said as he turned to Jemma "You're the princess?"

"I am so sorry. So sorry, I just wanted to know you." Jemma said.

"You're lucky I realised your plan, Jemma, not your father." The queen said hugging her daugther. "King Fitz, I am deeply sorry about my daugther's behavior, I know the two of you were not supposed to meet."

"I'm not understanding anything." Fitz said as the queen nodded.

"I'm also in need of an explanation, Jemma." The queen Marie said.

"I'll explain it all, I'm sorry I lied to you mother." Jemma said.

"Well, you have a lot to explain, and you're in trouble, but King Fitz, could you please get us a room to talk, just the three of us, with no interuptions." She said as she looked at Hunter and Mack.

"Uh, sure." Fitz said, trying to undestand it all. "Just follow me, please."

As they passed the castle halls nobody said a word.

* * *

"Uh, this is my room, nobody usually gets in, except for Bobbi when she cleans, but I don't think she will get in now." Fitz said as they got in. "Uh, now can someone explain it all to me?"

"I will explain it all. Firstly I'm sorry I lied to both of you." Jemma started looking at her mother, "I know it was wrong, but mother, I'm not like you, I couldn't simply marry a stranger. It felt so wrong, I hed to meet him. Please don't get upset with Skye, it was my idea. And, don't get mad with Fitz, either, he didn't knew." She said turning to face Fitz. "I was going to tell you, I'm sorry, I just wanted to meet you, to know how you were really like, you're much better than I expected."

"But why face it all?" Fitz asked.

"To know you. Yes, Skye told me about you, but it's nothing like meeting you in person. I know it's not the traditional way, but I had to know who you are first, I needed to know the real you."

"I wanted to meet you too, guess I wasn't brave enough." Fitz said, "But why you didn't told me before?"

"Yes, it was brave," Jemma's mother said sitting on a chair and taking her scarf. "But reckless, what if your father had found out?"

"I know I'd be in serious trouble. But I had to, didn't you wished to meet father before you married him?"

"Yes," Jemma's mother confessed, "I wished to, but I waited, and it got my reward, I fell in love with him."

"But I didn't knew if I could fell in love with Fitz after we were married." Jemma said lowly, sitting next to her mother.

"And now are you? Think you could love him?" He mother whispered, hoping King Fitz wouldn't hear her words, when Jemma nodded and looked at Fitz, the Queen knew her daugther did what she thoguht was right. And it a way, she was.

The Queen was happy, she fell in love with her husband, but some people she knew weren't so happy. If her daugther was truly in love with the young king, she would help her.

"I suppose your father doesn't really need to know, if the king is not opposite to it, of course." The Queen exclaimed.

"No, no, if it doesn't get any of you in trouble, then I suppose I don't need to tell him, or anyone else." Fitz said, as much as he was surprised or even a bit angry with Jemma, for lying to him, he wished her no harm.

"Your guards and maid won't tell?" The queen asked.

"No, no. They wouldn't do that."

"Good, I suppose I have to take Jemma back to Providence, after all, her father belive we are both in Lai Shi."

"Oh." Jemma said, "I suppose we should."

"Jemma darling, why don't you take me to your quarters so we can pack your belongins?"

"Of course, mother." Jemma said looking at Fitz and her mother sighed.

"I will be going, Jemma dear, can you get my scarf, it's in the chair behind you, I'll be waiting in the kit- Oh, where's your kitchen?"

"Uh, someone can take you, I suppose you must be hungry?"

"Yes, I am."

"Uh, then just go to the last room in this hall, and a blonde woman will be there, her name is Bob-"

"Bobbi, I know, she told me when I got here." The queen smiled "I will eat, and then speak to you later, Jemma."

"So there were two." Fitz said as Jemma walked to the chair and grabbed her mother scarf. "She's really good at making an excuse uh?" Fitz laughed trying to lighten the mood. "The scarf, she could just have waited for you to get it, or get herself."

"I'm truly sorry, for lying to you. But I need you to know, it wasn't all a lie. I really enjoyed getting to know you. And I didn't knew if I could do that after we were already married."

"You were afraid we wouldn't like each other?"

"Yes."

"Do you know how crazy this all was, how crazy it made me?"

"Yes, I do."

"All this time, I thought I was getting insane, Jemma. You couldn't do this." Fitz said, as much as he knew he felt something for her, how could she simply lie to him like that?

"I was afraid." Jemma confessed. "Afraid of all this." She said before leaving to meet with her mother.

* * *

"Jemma?" Bobbi said as she saw the girl she considered a dear friend even after so little time, crying alone in the hall.

"Oh, I didn't saw you, Bobbi." Jemma said drying the tears with the back of her hand.

"I know it all, and no worries, I won't tell a soul." Bobbi said. "Did he made you cry? If he made you cry I'll go there right now and he will hear a lot."

"No, no, no. It's all my fault, really. I should have told you all sooner." Jemma said starting to cry again.

"I get it, you wanted to meet him before you made your decision, it's all right. He will get that." Bobbi said, she never really understood why the monarchy was like that, marrying for other things, beside love, even growing up close to it, she could never really understand why go for that way, true love was hard, but not know who you had to live with, who to marry was hard too.

"I think I truly like him, Bobbi." Jemma confessed to her friend.

"I can see it, since the first day." Bobbi said. "Since I got inside his study and saw you two looking at each other like nobody else existed, call me a sap, but I could feel it."

"Really?" Jemma asked with a small smile and Bobbi nodded.

"It will all get solved in the end." Bobbi said to the younger girl in front of her. "He will come around."

* * *

 _But he didn't. Not while Jemma was still in the castle._

* * *

 **Part Six: All Ends Well**

* * *

Queen Marie decided that day that she and Jemma should get back to their castle in Providence as soon as possible, and pretend that Jemma never met Fitz.

If he changed his mind about the marriage, they would meet for Jemma's birthday. If not, he would send a letter.

It seemed easier while she spoke. She had said _'Wait and it all solves, time heal it all'_

 _But the anxiety, the wait, oh, that was something Jemma didn't wished for her worst enemy._

Jemma didn't really knew what to expect, as much as she feel in love with him, she couldn't make him marry her. She couldn't make him fall in love with her, or stay in love with her.

She lied to him, she knew that, she just wished he would understand.

* * *

When the week of her birthday came around, she started feeling more anxious, he could still come? If he forgave her? Could he?

Every letter that came wishing her a good and happy birthday just made it all worse, every letter could be his, and she didn't knew if she could handle it. Should she sned a letter to him, she was still supposed to not know him, so she couldn't exactly simply do that. Maybe she could ask Skye? But thta would still be risky.

So she took her mother's advice and waited.

* * *

King Leopold was trained since a very young age to do what would be best for the others, for his country. But he never really thought how much of that could change in his own personal life. Could he still do what was best for his country and be happy? Marry the girl who lied to him, but that he fell in love with, that he knows only did what she thought it was best, and was so much more brave that he was? Should he do that? Stay with Jemma, save her kingdom and his own, even with all the lies? Could he be happy that way, with someone that lied to him?

The mere thought of staying with had Jemma brought a smile to his lips countless times. At first when he thought she was only a maid he would feel somewhat mad at himself, to let such thing happen, be so in love, to let himself fall in love with someone he knew he couldn't marry.

But now it was all different, she wasn't a maid, she was the girl he was supposed to marry.

Now, thiking about staying with her still brought a smile to his lips, but there was so much more, if anyone knew what she did she would be in serious trouble, not only with her father, but with other kingdoms. Sure, marry her could solve that. But what about the lies, did he forgave her? He wanted to, but what if she lied again?

He kept thinking if all the rest she told him wasn't a lie too, if she loved science like he did, if she didn't liked onions, like she said before, if blue was really her favorite colour.

But he would never know if he never asked. So he did what he should have done in first place, went to Providence.

He was staying with her if she would still have him. He loved her, and he knew he could be happy with her, then why not?

* * *

 _Providence was sunnier than he imagined it to be, it was nothing like Scotland, it was like Jemma, sunny and pretty._

Bobbi kept saying all the way, between her throwing up scares, and actual throwing up a few times (it scared Hunter to the point they had to stop to take care of her), that Fitz should have thought of something better to wear and to practice his apology, according to her for not hearing what she had to say with an open mind and saying he forgave her before and for making her cry.

She was right, he should have practiced something better to say to her than 'I'm sorry, I accept your pology for lying to me, and hope you accept my apology and still wish to marry.' But he knew that no matter what else he could say he wouldn't find the right words to say.

And he didn't, the moment he saw her standing on top of the stairs, like in the fairytales her mother always read to him, _it was like the world stopped._

* * *

When Jemma saw him waiting for her, she stopped, she stoped thinking, even stopped breathing for a second.

When her father said someone wished to meet her, she had already lost all hopes that it could be him, but it was him, he was right there, and for a moment she forgot she wasn't supposed to know him, and almost called his name, but as she walked down the stairs and he blinked to her, she knew he wasn't going to drop her secret.

"Magesty, I'm King Leopold Fitz, It's a pleasure to meet you." He said in a vocie that, in the few weeks she had got to know him she had found out was his 'King Polite' voice.

"Princess Jemma. Likewise, your magesty." She said trying her best not to just call him Fitz, like he always said he prefered.

"I think you two should go for a walk to get to meet properly." The Queen said with a knowing smile, "Don't you think, Matthew?"

"Oh, of course. And we all meet for dinner." Jemma's father said as he and the Queen walked and left them alone.

Neither of them spoke as they walked to one of the gardens, until Jemma broke the silence.

"I didn't knew you would come."

"Neither did I, to be honest." Fitz laughed. "Uh, I had a whole speech on how I was sorry and also to say I accepted your apology and again, being sorry for not saying it before, and also how I say I wish we can start over and keep all the lies behind, but I think I forgot most of it."

"Oh." It was all Jemma could say.

"But, uh, let's start over, please?" Fitz said.

"Of course." Jemma said with a smile.

"Are you still afraid?" Fitz asked sudently.

"Of what?"

"Marriage, marrying me, I mean."

"No. I stopped being scared of marrying you when I talked to you on that very first day."

"Good, because I would like for you to be my wife, that's it, if you still want to."

"I do." Jema smiled.

"That's good, I was wondering where would I find a lab partner that knew more about dendrotixin in case you said no." Fitz laughed as they sat on a bench.

"You want to finish the project?"

"Do you?"

"Only if I have equal credit for it." she smirked.

"Deal." He said and finally, did what he wanted to since her got to know her, he kissed her. All those things his mother said to him about how in fairytales the kisses were magic and they could solve anything, managed to be real for him. And he knew he would be happy, that he was happy if he had her next him.

In the end, his mother was right, after the storm, the sun come out and everything could change.

* * *

 **Part Seven _(or, the huntingbird epilogue)_**

"Do you think he got the lass?" Lance asked his wife as they sat in one of the castle benches after Fitz had left to talk alone with Jemma.

"Probably, they're meant to be." Bobbi smiled to her husband.

"Yeah, but she still lied." Lance said, "As much as he is a good guy it's kind of hard to forget the lies."

"First of all, if that was for me, I already said I'm sorry and you lied to me too." Bobbi said remembering her fights with Hnter before they finally married.

"It's been a really long time ago, and it's all good now, isn't it?"

"Yes. It doesn't really matter now, does it?" Bobbi laughed. "And as for them, he loves her, she loves him, done."

"I love you." Lance smiled.

"I love you too." Bobbi said, "Did you ever stop to think that we're together because of the Queen? I was talking to Fitz a few days ago, before this madness started and it got me thinking we owe her a lot."

"Yeah, she pointed out we'd be married one day and now we are."

"Are you happy?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I be? I have a beautiful wife by my side."

"Would you still think I'm beautiful when I'm like nine months expecting and ugly and fat?" Bobbi asked with an amused smile.

"You would never be ugly and fat at nine months pregnancy."

"We'll see about that in seven months." Bobbi said waiting for the realization to hit him.

"Sure." Lance laughed until he stopped and his smile grew. "Wait, what?"

Bobbi laughed at her husband.

"Bob, do you mean what I think you mean?" He asked the smile even bgger.

"Congratulations, daddy!" She exclaimed as Lance wrapped her in a hug whispering he loved her and the baby.

 _Yeah, all end up well for everyone._

* * *

And there you have it! Hope you all enjoyed, I couldn't help myself so I had to put some huntingbird in it too...


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